Finding Pemba & Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Jambo Family x (18.01.2007)


According to the Lonely Planet guidebook "Diani Beach" was very developed with huge hotel resorts, so we opted for the quieter Tiwi beach. Had a lovely day just chilling and that evening we decided to face the "buzzy, developed Diani" which in fact turned out to be as calm and remote as anything, with only very few hotels.

Wasini Island

The next day, having discovered that Diani was so much nicer, with silk sand beaches we went back and spent the whole day relaxing at the Diani reef 5* hotel with an English couple we met- we drank the local beer and sat in the pool bar all afternoon making use of their plush facilities! Going back to our mozzie infested - non air-co room that evening was not easy.
From Tiwi we headed south towards Shimoni, where we got a local fisherman to take us across to the slow paced Wasini island. Here we planned to stay for the evening. With all the day trippers having left, this island was the most idyllic place on earth. As we were taken around by a local 20 year old, (father of 2), there was a complete sense of harmony in the air. The children laughed and played- joining in with the boys for a game of football- walking  through the coral gardens, mangroves everywhere, the little houses all built from mud. I had my camera and the kids kept asking me to take pictures as they pulled funny faces… these people had so little but still there was a strong sensation of happiness everywhere.

Woke up at 4am with the sound of our Dhow boat coming in to pick us up to take us to Pemba island (Tanzania). No water. No toilet. No food. This trip shaping up as an adventure. With only the light of the stars we were the only 2 travellers on this island, got our backpacks and got onto this cargo sailing boat. It was pitch black and all you could see was the small moon and the stars. I felt like a real explorer… the exciting feeling soon got replaced by nausea as the strong waves knocking our little boat about. The 8 hour intended journey was long, quickly shaping up to a 24 hour hot and tiresome adventure...worth every penny as the boat drifted into the most beautiful beach of all- PEMBA ISLAND. we have landed!

… and here we are now. As I type this I can see outside my hut window the most brilliant view of all- a magical 3 tone sea, starting from pale blue, turquoise and in the distance a darker blue. The sand on the beach is so fine that it tickles when you walk on it… and best of all, there is no one else around. We have been here at the "manta reef" since yesterday, the plan  is to stay in Pemba until Saturday where we are then boating it across to Zanzibar.

Will write again soon,
Love and beijos  xx

Discovering Kenya

Arrived in Nairobi on a Sunday night very late only to find every street isolated. That eeriee feeling in the air of not knowing where I had landed.  Found myself wondering if this really was a capital city or whether I was stuck lost in some back street. Deciding on the Lonely Planet's author's choice when choosing a "midrange" hotel-  it was horrible... a cockroach heaven! Had a quick bite and snuggled for our lives praying for morning under the mossie-net.

Monday morning- sun was out, buzzy roads, children on their way to school- the city was pumping... Booked onto a budget Safari trip to Tsavo West… the sooner out of this chaotic city the better. And so we set off, with our 3 Kenyan new friends- our guide, our cook and our mechanic. Great team! Getting out of Nairobi was not easy- under the 40C sun, we headed towards animal paradise for 3 days of camping in the home of the man eaters…

Arrived in Tsavo just in time to see the most incredible sun set from the roof of the van… a giant elephant crossed the road… later we saw zebras, gazelles, all sorts. By the time we reached our campsite it was pitch black- with only the dim light of a torch our cook surprised us with a lovely African Bolognese. The next few days were blissful. Tsavo is beautiful- so much wildlife, stunning scenery…. and on our third day we were incredibly fortunate to see a leopard (rare according to our boys!) According to the team I bringing luck… In Africa i am considered to be quite funny!

Tsavo West

On our 4th day we decided to visit Amboseli, a different safari park. The landscape was in no way as wild as Tsavo but the fact the landscape was was so flat meant we were able to see animals even if they were so far in the distance. Unlike the caping cramped budget style we had previously had, this time we did it in style,  checkings into a luxurious 5 star hotel where we sat in the veranda, drank a few beers as Elephants, monkeys and zebras were spotted in the distance. incredible!

On Thursday we spent 10 hours travelling from Amboseli to Mombasa. Our Team agreed to drive us all the way… it was during this journey that I reminded myself of how incredibly lucky we all are. Our cook, starter telling us stories about his family- the poor man, 57, had lost his 6 brothers in different ways over the years (diseases, accidents, etc) his mother had then died while giving birth to his younger sister- who then later also died, he had 2 daughters who he rarely sees, and still the man was always smiling, always telling anecdotes and trying to please us. Really, this trip is an eye opening experience. Not only do we have money, health, family and friends close to us, but most importantly we appreciate all of what we have.

A few days in Mombasa was enough to get a sense of the place.

Now we are currently in Tiwi- a little beach resort- wonderful view from my hotel room- palm trees, white sand and blue blue sea… From here the plan is to keep travelling down the coast… Diani beach is next, and then we shall see. The aim is to eventually reach zanzibar... no real pressure on time...